Melt
by one-falling-up
Summary: Hitsugaya is welcoming a new addition to the tenth company... little does he know that that knew addition is slowly melting his heart of ice... BTW I don't own Bleach, and all that other stuff. this is my first story and it has a few problems X3
1. Audition

Captain Hitsugaya sipped some hot green tea as he filed a stack of paperwork in his office with the Squad Ten barracks. Of course, he thought, gritting his teeth, it was Matsu Moto's job, but she had spent the time instead drinking sake with Kira and Hisagi. He sighed, shuffled the remaining papers, and placed the in a neat stack on the corner of his desk. Glancing at the wooden clock mounted in the corner of his office, he realized that he had to judge an audition for two newcomers who wanted to join the tenth company. Pushing his chair back, he fastened Hyourinmaru to his back and strolled out the door.

The pavilion where the audition was held was littered with delicate, pale pink cherry blossoms. The cherry blossom trees swayed loosely in the gentle spring breeze. Hitsugaya seated himself on the stone bench beneath a tree beside Matsu Moto, who had sunken eyes and was clutching a clipboard to record the results.

"Drank too much yesterday," she groaned, not her usual, chipper self.

Hitsugaya found this strange as she often drank sake, so he figured she must've developed immunity to the alcohol by then. However, that was not the case.

"I had to do the paperwork you didn't do yesterday," he snapped. "No more sake for you today!"

"Yes, Taichou," Matsu Moto yawned for what seemed like the hundredth time. Of course, Hitsugaya knew, Matsu Moto would drink sake today. And tomorrow. And the day after that. And so on. It was an exclusive pattern that repeated itself over and over again.

Hitsugaya swiveled his head around on the bench. "Where are the contestants?"

"They're here, Taichou!" called third seat Masashi Kyou, as he ran forward. The two newcomers followed closely at his heels.

Hitsugaya eyed the two contestants. The first was a buff man in sleeveless robes leaning against his katana. He had cropped chocolate colored hair and sea green eyes. His mouth was fixed in a permanent scowl. The second was a girl about Hitsugaya's height. She had a sleek, black mane of gently curling hair that rested on her chest. A silky white gauze was draped about her shoulders. After a moment, Hitsugaya realized that the gauze was attached to the tail of her katana, which was strapped to her hip. She had gleaming teal eyes that, he was astonished to know, were fixed icily upon his. He blinked a few times, shook his head, and turned his attention to Matsu Moto.

"Begin the audition," he commanded. First, they would fight Masashi, and then they would fight one another.

"Yes, Taichou."

The buff man was first. He was to spar against Masashi. He pulled his katana from the dirt an eyed Masashi carefully. Masashi pulled his zanpakutou from its sheath and came in for the kill. The buff man blocked his first strike with ease. The second. He smoothed his hand over his katana, and a surging wave of fire roared out at Masashi. But quick as a rabbit, Masashi hopped behind him and had a sword to his throat. The buff man grunted in despair while Matsu Moto scribbled furiously on her clipboard.

The girl sashayed lightly from where she was leaned against a cherry blossom tree and unsheathed her zanpakutou. "I guess it's my turn right?" she asked with a cold smile toward Masashi. But it seemed more like a statement. Masashi got into ready position. The girl did a few quick hand movements, twirled her katana from the gauze- and vanished. Hitsugaya's eyes widened. Then Masashi let out a yelp as a droplet of blood dripped down his wrist. The air shimmered, and then the girl had pressed the hilt of her sword to Masashi's throat. With another Mona Lisa mystery smile, she withdrew her sword and sheathed it with undeniable grace.

"There is no need for another duel," panted Masashi sullenly. "I think we know who the winner is."

The buff man turned and stomped off.

"You, what's your name?" Hitsugaya asked pointedly motioning to the girl while Matsu Moto's handwriting grew into a crazed scrawl on the clipboard.

The girl smiled, sending a strange tremor through Hitsugaya's ice-cold heart. "I'm Hiromi Kazue," she said. "Nice to meet you."


	2. Zanpakutou

Over the next few weeks, Hiromi's work progressed. She had already mastered kido, hoho, and shikai. She quickly shot up from fifth seat to replace Masashi in third seat. As a result, Hitsugaya found himself spending more time with her.

"Taichou, you and Hiromi look too cute together!" gushed Matsu Moto. "When's the wedding?"

Hitsugaya clonked her on the head. "Shut up, Rangiku. I don't like her. It's natural for captains to interact with their minors. Go and file those papers you didn't do because you were drinking sake yesterday."

"Fine, Taichou," Matsu Moto huffed. "It isn't every day you find a girl your height, anyway."

"Uh oh," the shinigami standing near them whispered. They promptly took out some ear buds and urgently stuffed them in their ears as "RANGIKU!" was hollered.

Later that day Hitsugaya took a stroll with Hiromi through the thick wave of cherry blossoms.

"So, what is your zanpakutou's ability?" Hitsugaya asked, curious.

"People don't tell one another such things, do they?"

"I guess…"

Hiromi smiled her Mona Lisa grin. "Well, I suppose I can trust you. My zanpakutou's name is Kasumi no Shoushitsu." She unsheathed her katana and lovingly stroked the white gauze hanging from its tail. Its ability…. well, it allows me to disappear and sneak up on my enemies. However, it doesn't suppress my reiatsu. Furthermore, if I disappear for too long, I fall into a different dimension and it's impossible for me to return if so."

"I see." Hitsugaya stared at Kasumi no Shoushitsu as Hiromi sheathed it and once again draped the gauze about her shoulders.

Suddenly, a hell butterfly appeared before them. "Suspicious Arrancar has been detected outside of Seretei," Yamamoto's voice bleated. "Tenth squad captain Hitsugaya Toshirou and third seat Kazue Hiromi are asked to investigate. I repeat, Hitsugaya Toshirou and Kazue Hiromi."

Hiromi's teal eyes pierced into Hitsugaya's. "Well, I guess we'd better go," she said. And with that, she flash-stepped and was gone.


	3. Quest

Hitsugaya and Hiromi arrived at the outskirts of Soul Society. So far there were no arrancar sightings.

"Do you see anything?" Hiromi asked.

"No," came Hitsugaya's terse reply. He squinted into the distance. Then his eyes widened. "I sense tremendous reiatsu in Junrinan. Let's go!"

"Yes, sir!"

Hitsugaya and Hiromi landed in Junrinan. There was no sight of the arrancar, but its path of destruction was clear. Bodies lay strewn around flickering fires of remnants of homes.

"This is terrible," griped Hiromi.

Hitsugaya checked the pulse of a man lying on the ground. He was still alive. He heard Hiromi gasp and his head snapped up. However, before he could react, he experienced a sharp pain in his side.

The arrancar withdrew his claw. "Well, slow reflexes for someone who calls himself a captain!" an annoyingly suave voice chided.

"Hitsugaya san, are you alright?" cried Hiromi. She dashed over to his side.

"I'm fine," Hitsugaya replied. He wiped away the shower of blood that blossomed from his white haori. Then he unsheathed Hyourinmaru. "You'll pay for this," he hissed furiously.

The arrancar cocked his head and Hitsugaya examined him for the first time. He was dressed in the traditional arrancar garb that Aizen had distributed. Long, tapering talons arched from his intentionally poised hand. His mauve hair slid down to his shoulders, cropped around his clean-shaven face. Dark purple tattoos slashed up his pale cheeks and ended beneath his piercing, well, violet eyes. His dark lips were turned up in a wicked grin. The arrancar moved his hand to the zanpakutou strapped to his hip.

"I am Arrancar Number 108, Shigeru Soketsu," the arrancar introduced. "Any last words before you die, young captain?"

"I should be the one asking you that!" Hitsugaya spat, and with that, he leapt into the air and swung Hyourinmaru down in a complete arc to the Shigeru Soketsu's head. The arrancar barely dodged his blow, and Hyourinmaru scraped some snow-white skin to the ground, marking a shallow wound.

"Tch," cursed Shigeru. He pulled out his wickedly sharp zanpakutou from its elaborate sheath and swung it somewhere behind him.

Hitsugaya heard a yelp. His eyes widened as the air behind the arrancar sparkled for a second to show the form of Hiromi, attempting to press the back of her katana against the arrancar's neck. Shigeru had hit her.

"Hiromi!" Hitsugaya cried. "Are you alright?"

Blood seeped out of her black robes and pattered onto the ground. She gritted her teeth. "I'm fine," she managed.

"Nice try, little girl, but I can sense your reiatsu," Shigeru tutted. "Better luck next time. Of course, there will be no next time…" The arrancar chuckled.

Hiromi swirled her gauze and vanished. Seconds later, a gash appeared on Shigeru's face.

"Aaaaaccckk!"

Hiromi drew her sword out of Shigeru's face. "That's what you get."

Shigeru clutched his head as blood spurted from between his hands. "You bitch!"

He was about to say something else, but it was too late. Hyourinmaru cleaved cleaned through his neck, leaving a severed stump that slumped to the floor.


	4. Saaakkkkeee Paaarrttaayyyy!

Hiromi and Hitsugaya exited Captain Unohana's room and headed for the tenth barracks. Ribbons of light peeled away the darkness from bobbling lamps mounted on the walls. Hiromi smiled her Mona Lisa smile.

"Our mission was a success."

Hitsugaya nodded. After they had defeated the arrancar, Hitsugaya had issued a Hell Butterfly to Captain Yamamoto. All was well. Now all Hitsugaya and Hiromi wanted was a good night's sleep back in the Tenth Squad barracks.

They approached the barracks slowly, and Hitsugaya's keen and alert ears picked up the sound of laughter, clinking bottles, and smashed glass. "Matsumoto!" he spit through his teeth. She was probably holding another sake party.

Hitsugaya raced toward the lieutenant's barracks and threw open the sliding door, Hiromi closely following. His lips curled into a snarl as she saw a dazed-looking Matsumoto clasping a sake bottle. She was sprawled on the tatami mat (which was littered with broken glass and empty sake bottles) with Hisagi and Kira, both looking as sober as she was.

"Taichou," Matsumoto drawled. "Come have some sake with us." She nodded sleepily over to Hisagi and Kira, who drank with half-closed eyes.

"Matsumoto!" Hitsugaya shouted. "Did you do the paperwork?"

Matsumoto waved her hand dismissively. "Tomorrow, tomorrow. But sake can't wait!" She laughed and toasted Hisagi and Kira, who giggled like little girls.

"This is outrageous." Hitsugaya shook his head, as if trying to shake the scene from his head. No such luck.

Hiromi blushed. "I-I-I should b-be g-g-going back to m-my room," she stammered. "G'night." She hastily retreated from her spot in the back of the room. However, as she dashed out, Matsumoto grabbed her foot.

"Come have a drink, Hiromi."

"Th-that's okay. I'm really tired."

"No, I mean it." Matsumoto sleepily fumbled at the canister stocked with bottles of sake. She grabbed one and handed it to Hiromi.

"I can't finish it." Hiromi handed the bottle back to Matsumoto. "Besides, I don't really drink."

"Drink to celebrate for killing that arrancar! And if it's too much, you can always share with Taichou." She grinned smugly at Hitsugaya. "I have an idea. Why don't you take a sip, then Taichou can take a sip, too."

Hiromi turned beet red. "N-n-nooo, that's alright."

Matsumoto promptly ignored her and uncorked the bottle. Sake fumes wafted slowly from the cap. Then she thrust it to Hiromi's open mouth.

Hiromi choked down half of the bottle before Matsumoto yanked it away. Hiromi coughed and sputtered, but Matsumoto crawled over to where Hitsugaya was cleaning up a mess of broken glass sake bottles and shoved the half-empty bottle into his mouth. Hitsugaya was forced to glug down the rest.

"Rangiku, what is this?" Hitsugaya demanded crossly.

Matsumoto blinked innocently. "Sake." Then she grasped another filled bottle from the floor, uncorked it, and stuck it in his mouth. Then she sent it into Hiromi's.

Empty bottles now lay on the tatami mat around Hitsugaya, Hiromi, and Matsumoto. Drunk, Hitsugaya and Hiromi simultaneously snatched a sake bottle from the box and unknowingly, their lips met on the bottle.


	5. Sweet Decision

The sake bottle clattered to the floor. Hiromi's lips were soft and sweet. They both snapped out of their drunken state.

She pulled away, her face as red as a tomato.

Hitsugaya felt color creeping into his cheeks, something he ha almost never experienced before. Heat rushed to his face, all over his body, thawing his heart. Emotion rushed through his brain, and he felt like he might burst with an influx of mixed feelings.

"Sorry," Hiromi whispered. Without a second glance, she darted out the open sliding door.

Hitsugaya hastened away too before Matsumoto could say anything.

Later that night, Hitsugaya lay in bed, unable to sleep. A tiny candle warmed his room casting a hazy, rosy glow against the walls. He couldn't help thinking about earlier… He tossed and turned, restless. He felt strongly controlled by a deep passion… could it be… what they called…. love? But he had always proclaimed himself that love was a worthless emotion that influenced people to do rash things that didn't seem to benefit anyone at all. But all he could think about at the moment was Hiromi, her black hair, her teal eyes, her Mona Lisa mystery smile, and her soft, sweet lips.

Finally, Hitsugaya threw off his covers and padded over to the little, comforting flame. Toting the candle, he strolled out of his room and out to the pavilion, hoping to burn of the increased adrenaline pumping through his body. He sat, with a sigh, down on the stone bench under the blossoming cherry tree. A brisk night breeze ruffled the branches, and a delicate pale pink bloom alighted in his open palms. His thoughts immediately transferred to Hiromi again, how she looked underneath the cherry tree… He shook his head violently, as if trying to shake the thought from his mind. Well, suppose he _did_ date Hiromi… then what? It was queer, almost unnatural, for captains to date their minors… Besides, he didn't know any captain in Soul Society who did. Okay, Captain Kuchiki had a wife… who died. Hmmmm… well, Captain Kyouraku always tried to woo his lieutenant… but Nanao usually kicked him in the shins when he tried to. Hitsugaya racked his brain for other captains in relationships, but failed.

Then he felt someone sit down next to him.

"I'm really sorry about… you know…" someone beside him murmured.

It was Hiromi. "It's, um, it's fine," Hitsugaya said quickly. He felt that "love" feeling again. Prickly heat crept to his cheeks. He licked his lips nervously. Should he confess his feelings? "Well, I have to say, I kind of enjoyed it." He looked at the cherry blossom in his hand. What an un-Toshirou like thing to say! He could've murdered himself right that instant, but he was interrupted by a soft mumble.

"Really? Because, well, I did too."

Hitsugaya's heart racked against his chest in uneven thumps.

"The truth is, Taichou, well, I really like you."

"Hiromi… will you be mine?" Hitsugaya reached up and placed the blossom in her gentle black hair.

"Okay." She smiled her Mona Lisa grin.

Hitsugaya was no longer in control of himself. He felt himself lean forward… and so did Hiromi. Their second kiss, except it was longer… and sweeter.


	6. To Go or Not To Go I can't dance

The news about Hitsugaya and Hiromi spread quickly, thanks to Matsumoto's big mouth, but it wasn't hugely advertised until Kurosaki Ichigo arrived from Kakura Town.

"Kurosaki? What are you doing here?" Hitsugaya inquired dubiously. Under the black and white folds he felt Hiromi's cream-soft hand.

Ichigo scratched his bright orange hair. "Well, my school is having a prom tomorrow, and I'm supposed to bring a foreign couple to it in order to 'mix cultures.' I heard from some informant that you and Kazue are the new couple in Soul Society."

A tick mark etched itself quickly into Hitsugaya's head. He spun around to face Matsumoto, who was standing behind him. "I wonder who that informant is."

Matsumoto blushed. "He didn't say if the informant was a man or woman." She glanced around urgently and spotted Kira leaned against a cherry blossom tree. "It… it might as well be Kira!"

"Eh? When did I become part of this?"

Hitsugaya sighed. "Ah, no matter. Get to the point, Kurosaki."

"I want you two to go."

"Eh? Why? We're really busy, you know! Besides, Yamamoto didn't say yes to it."

"I already checked with the old man, Toshirou. He said yes."

Hitsugaya had a sickening feeling at the pit of his stomach. He turned to Hiromi. "Do… do you want to go?"

Hiromi chewed her lip nervously. "Well…"

"They'll go!" Matsumoto interrupted cheerily.

"Great! By the way, thanks for the gossip, Rangiku!" And then Ichigo stepped through the Senkaimon shimmering behind him and disappeared.

"MATSUMOTO!"

Hitsugaya pounded his head on his desk, spilling his green tea and soaking it all over his paperwork. Matsumoto stood behind him, awkwardly patting him on the back.

"What have you done, Matsumoto, what have you done?" he moaned miserably.

"Me? Taichou, you were going to say yes anyway, right?"

"No! Hiromi and I have only been together for a few days, and boom! You've already signed us up for some… dance?"

"Well… Taichou… it… it… would… um… be a good time to… um… b-build your relationship, right?" Matsumoto suggested.

"Build our relationship?" Hitsugaya scoffed. Oh yeah, that's right, we'll build our relationship when I step on her toes all night! Don't forget, I have many problems. For one, I can't dance."

"Well, I could teach you to dance, Taichou."

Hitsugaya raised his eyebrows. "I don't think so."

"Neh, Taichou, I _have_ gone to dances before with Gin."

"Aaaahhg, Matsumoto, I don't have time for your Ichimaru crap."

Matsumoto stiffened, and for almost the first time, her cheery demeanor vanished. She turned on her heel. "Well, then find another teacher."

"Wait, Matsumoto!"

Matsumoto spun around. "What?"

Hitsugaya sighed. Time for the ultimate sacrifice. "You can have a sake party the day after tomorrow _if _you teach me how to dance."

Matsumoto brightened. "You… you mean it?"

"What other choice do I have?" Hitsugaya grumbled.

Matsumoto smiled and sauntered over to where Hitsugaya was seated and helped him out of his chair. She positioned him in waltzing position.

"My, Taichou, this is awkward. Gin wasn't this short."

If it weren't for the fact that he couldn't find another dance teacher, Hitsugaya would've summoned her out of his office already. "Get to the point, Matsumoto," Hitsugaya snapped.

Matsumoto giggled. "Kay, Taichou. Now, you move your foot over here…"

Five hours later and two boxes of Band-Aids later, Matsumoto had whipped Hitsugaya into a decent dancer.

"If you weren't doing this for Hiromi, I'd have given up earlier," Matsumoto huffed as she flopped onto Hitsugaya's bed, flexing and wiggling her bruised Band-Aid covered feet. "Who knew you were so clumsy when it came to dancing?"

Hitsugaya sighed. With his new dancing skills, hopefully he wouldn't be tripping all over Hiromi's feet tomorrow night. He glanced at the bamboo-wood clock mounted on the tea-green wall beside his desk. It was already one in the morning.

"I'm going to go get some sleep," Matsumoto yawned as she exited the room.

After Matsumoto slid the sliding door shut, Hitsugaya crawled into his bed and pulled the covers over his head. Maybe he could get some sleep before his big day.


	7. Shopping!

Ichigo and Rukia came to pick up Hitsugaya and Hiromi at exactly six in the morning. Drowsy, Hitsugaya made his way out of his room and met Ichigo, Rukia, and Hiromi at the pavilion.

"Why do we have to go so early?" Hitsugaya grouched as he rubbed his eyes, wishing he savored his five hours of sleep more.

"We need to get you a tuxedo and Hiromi a dress," Ichigo explained.

"What's a tuck-seedo?" Hitsugaya wondered.

"It's a dress suit," Ichigo clarified hastily.

"That's vague," Rukia commented. She turned to Hitsugaya. "Don't worry, Hitsugaya Taichou. You'll look cut-handsome in one, I know it."

"If he doesn't end up looking like he's from Blue's Clues," Ichigo muttered under his breath.

Hitsugaya was too tired to scream out his classic trademark, so he pretended not to hear.

"Well, group, let's go!" Rukia exclaimed as they stepped through the Senkaimon.

"Wait!" someone cried.

The group turned around. Matsumoto and a thrilled-looking Hisagi were heading toward them.

"We want to go, too," Matsumoto gushed. "The old man let us."

"Oh fine, fine." Ichigo waved his hand. "Let's just go already."

"This is too big," Ichigo sighed as he and Hitsugaya sifted through the sales rack. Hitsugaya needed a XXS tuxedo.

"I don't there's anything here." Hisagi rubbed his back from kneeling, looking for Hitsugaya's apparel.

"I'll go to Armani," Ichigo sighed. "Maybe something will be there."

Hitsugaya nodded. "I'll go to Ralph Lauren. It's right across from here."

"Ciao." Hisagi waved his hand as he strutted out the door after Ichigo.

Hitsugaya looked down at his sneakers and sighed. At the moment, he loathed his slender and small build. It stopped him from buying any nice suit. When he walked into stores with Ichigo and Hisagi, clerks would ask how much money the babysitting fee was. Ugh. While Hisagi got to borrow Ichigo's clothes for the trip, Hitsugaya had to wear attire that looked suspiciously like one of Karin's boyish outfits. Now it had extended to preventing him to buy a tuxedo he liked, like Hisagi had the minute they entered Calvin Klein.

Pushing back the glass double doors, Hitsugaya Nordstrom and proceeded onward to Ralph Lauren. As he stood by the entrance, he pondered over the idea of heading to the food court and getting some ice cream (a deliciously cold dessert Ichigo had introduced to him) with the money Ichigo had lent him. _No_, he thought. Then he set his jaw and squared his shoulders. He was doing this for Hiromi. He would not go to Kakura High's prom in Karin's reject clothing.

As soon as Hitsugaya entered Ralph Lauren, a red-lipped woman who seemed to appear out of nowhere popped up beside him. She smiled through pursed lips (or was that just a result of all the lipstick piled on?) and asked, "Can I help you find your parents, little boy?"

"I'm not a little boy!" Hitsugaya snapped. "I'm… I'm…" He knew well enough that he couldn't say that he was over a hundred years old. "I'm sixteen."

The woman sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "Like I said, all those youths nowadays are like Justin Beiber. Hitting puberty when they're twenty-one." She sighed and shook her head, as if lost in thought. Then she turned to Hitsugaya and blinked a few times, as if she had forgotten that he was there. "Right. So what do you need?"

"A tuxedo for prom."

"Wait here." The woman came and sashayed off to the men's department, her black stilettos clacking on the marble floor.

Standing there, a wave of loneliness swept over him. This was nothing unusual. He was used to the feeling. But today, something was different. A strange warmth pulsed in rhythm to his isolated emotions.

"Neh, Taichou, it's called love!" Matsumoto's voice singsonged in his head like a monotonous bell.

"So I brought a few stuff that I think you might like. Um, hello? Are you, like, listening?"

Hitsugaya snapped out of his thoughts. "Yeah. Um, where are the dressing rooms?"

"There." The woman gestured to his right, where a brass-plated sign reading Dressing Rooms hung ceremoniously from the tile-edged ceiling.

"Great. Um, thanks. You've been a great help." With that, Hitsugaya raced off.

After he claimed a dressing room, Hitsugaya laid out the woman's selections. They all looked the same to him, but after a moment's of inspection he realized that they came in slightly different cuts and styles with different details, like ruffles or buttons.

He tried all three of them on, and surprisingly, they all fit like magic. After looking at himself at the mirror from different angles, he opted for a black one (the others were dark and navy blue) with rounded lapels, a left chest pocket, and gold buttons. The dress shirt was silk, and the pants had gray pinstripes. Hitsugaya didn't see how it matched, but miraculously, it did. It made him seem taller.

He headed out the door with a white shopping bag in hand and a smile (a smile!) on his face.

"Either Matsumoto is on a sake ban or you found something!" Ichigo exclaimed when Hitsugaya walked into Armani with a big grin on his face.

"I found something."

"Well, we found you something." Ichigo handed him a gray and silver striped tie in black shopping bag and an embossed shoe box. "You're a size five, right? We got you loafers."

Hitsugaya opened the lid of the shoe box. A pair of black dress shoes lay nestled in a thin layer of tissue paper. "Thank you, Kurosaki."

"Hey." Hisagi elbowed Ichigo and Hitsugaya. "Look who's there. He motioned out the glass store window.

Rukia, Matsumoto, and Hiromi were laughing outside of Armani. They were sipping espresso lattes in recycled coffee cups and clutching paper bags with designer names stamped all over them. Hitsugaya gazed at Hiromi's shopping bags. She had a simple white SEPHORA bag in her palm, and she smiled wistfully at Matsumoto and Rukia.

Hitsugaya stared down at his belongings, at Hiromi, and at Kurosaki and Hisagi. He was privileged to have all of them with him.


	8. Quick Notice not part of Melt

This is just a quick notice, but I don't support or recommend any of the couple pairing besides HitsuHiro. Yah. Kay, thanks for all the people who reviewed! I love you guys all!

~kookiefrivolity 3


	9. Dance

"Hey, Toshirou! You ready?" Ichigo called from downstairs.

Hitsugaya turned around to stare at himself in the mirror one last time. His Ralph Lauren suit was holding up nicely. After the mall, Hitsugaya had stopped at the local flower shop to buy what Ichigo called a corsage for Hiromi. Apparently, Hiromi would show up with some flowers for Hitsugaya, too. At first, Hitsugaya wanted to buy some baby blue roses to match her eyes, but later, he decided that cherry blossoms would be more symbolic.

Gently grabbing the fragrant blooms from the silver shopping bag, he carefully tucked the corsage into his front pocket, taking care as to not dent any of the fragile flowers.

"Hitsugaya Taichou!" Hisagi yelled.

"Coming!" Hitsugaya straightened his suit for any wrinkles and exited Ichigo's room and out the front door.

A sleek black limo that Ichigo had rented pulled up in front of the Kurosaki estate. They crawled in, the chauffeur pulling open the door for them.

"Where are the girls?" Hisagi asked, peeking around the comfy leather interior of the car.

"They're in another limo," Ichigo replied briskly. "They'll meet us there. They got ready at Inoue's."

"Oh." Hisagi slouched in his seat, twirling the scarlet rose corsage in his hand.

Hitsugaya shifted in the leather, wondering what dress Hiromi was in. Probably something that Matsumoto put her up in.

He stared nonchalantly out the window. The landscape melted into flurries of lights and greenery. It was dark out, so the streets were lit with warmly glowing lamps.

"Hey Toshirou, do you know how to dance?" Ichigo asked.

"I guess."

"I hope I can dance," confessed Hisagi. "I've tried, but it doesn't seem to click with me."

"Well, at any rate, Matsumoto is a great dancing coach," Hitsugaya offered.

"How do you know?" Ichigo wondered.

Hitsugaya looked down at his loafers and tried to think of a clever or witty comeback, but he was saved by Hisagi.

"When are we gonna get there?" complained Hisagi. "Flash-stepping is faster than this."

"Just wait."

They sat in silence for another few minutes.

"Say, who is Inoue going with?" Hisagi asked.

"She's going with Sado," Ichigo answered.

"Then why isn't he riding with us?"

"He rented a Lexus. He's going with Asano and Mizuro," Ichigo explained.

"I see. Where and when are we going to meet the girls, then?"

Ichigo checked his glass-fronted Rolex watch. "We'll meet them at the front of the school underneath the flag. We're scheduled to meet at seven thirty."

The limo pulled up in front of Kakura High, and the crew piled out, and Hitsugaya was instantly amazed at the sudden transformation of the school.

The two massive oak trees that stood before the school had been draped with Japanese lanterns, which cast a hazy glow over the campus. He could hear music wafting out from within the walls. Two Bonsai trees greeted the couples at the doors, along with a sign up sheet and checklist to make sure that the students brought foreign couples.

"The girls should be there." Hitsugaya shook his head, clearing his thoughts out of his mind as Ichigo motioned over to the flag. It waved and rippled majestically in the night air.

Hitsugaya's heart leapt. He was still terribly nervous about confronting Hiromi at the dance. What if he suddenly forgot how to dance and stepped on her toes? What if a bee stung his tongue and he would talk gibberish for the rest of the night? What if…?

His thoughts were suddenly whipped away from his mind as he spotted four lone figures standing beneath the scarlet flag. He could see the loose, undulating hair of Matsumoto and Inoue. Rukia and Hiromi's tiny figures were partially blocked by shadow, but he could make out the rustles of their dresses.

They approached the girls. Ichigo and Hisagi whisked Rukia and Matsumoto off, leaving Inoue and Hiromi alone. Chad raced up to Inoue, followed by Asano and Mizuro, and a petite blond girl. Asano had been stupid enough to come without a date.

That left Hiromi standing alone. Hitsugaya felt as if he was rooted to the spot as Hiromi stepped out of the shadows. She was beautiful.

Her gleaming black hair was up in a bun, but sleek, curling strands still framed her pale, oval face. The bun was held up by a shimmering, whitish gauze that looked suspiciously like the tail of Kasumi no Shoushitsu. She was debuting a silk, strapless ice blue dress. It was tight till it reached a little underneath her chest, where it splayed out in a flurry of lace and ruffles, strips swishing around her knees. A silver necklace with a single diamond pendant graced her thin neck.

Hitsugaya blinked, bringing himself back to reality. Hiromi's glistening teal eyes were staring back at him, an unsure smile flickering across her glossy lips.

"Sh-shall w-w-we?" Hitsugaya held out his hand awkwardly, while trying not to stammer.

She smiled her familiar Mona Lisa grin, and placed her palm in his hand. "We shall."

They hurried past the freshly mowed lawns of Kakura High School, trying to catch up with Ichigo. However, they were both rather slow in their shoes: Hitsugaya was in loafers, and Hiromi had on a pair of satin white peep-toe stilettos.

"I told you, I brought another couple!" Ichigo was yelling at the ticket master. His amber eyes raked the scene. He spotted Hitsugaya and Hiromi.

"Hey, Toshirou, over here!" He waved his hand violently over his head, almost ruining Rukia's chignon. Then he turned again to glare at the ticket master, who responded with an upturned nose and an arrogant hair flip, sending a wave of Dove conditioner towards Ichigo, who doubled over at the sudden strong scent. Straightening up, he shot one last steely glower at the ticket master and marched off, towing Rukia behind him.

The multi-use room, where the dance was held, had been transformed since Hitsugaya last went there as an undercover shinigami. The lights were down. Streamers were hung from the ceiling, and bubbles were blown into the air by a machine. Fragrant, crimson rose petals were scattered randomly on the clean, scrubbed floor.

That's right! Flowers! _The corsage!_ Hitsugaya remembered. He removed it from his pocket.

Taking Hiromi's hand, he slid it onto her thin wrist with a smile.

"I was going to get you roses, but I thought that these were more symbolic," he explained.

Hiromi grinned. "Then I guess we had the same thoughts, huh?" She reached into a hidden pocket within the folds of her dress, revealing a delicate cherry blossom pin, which she fastened to his chest pocket.

Hitsugaya touched it with gratitude, and they smiled at each other.

A slow song started. The lights dimmed, and couples emerged on the dance floor.

Hitsugaya licked his lips. It was now or never. "Wanna dance?" He motioned to the dance floor.

She smiled, nodding.

Hitsugaya quickly tried to recall all the dance steps that Matsumoto had taught him but there was no need. Hiromi's moves guided him gently, and he felt like he had been dancing with her his whole life. They waltzed gracefully across the dance floor, and only stopped to depart to the snacks table when a fast hip hop song came on.

While Hitsugaya was munching on a pink sugar cookie, his cell phone bleeped in his pocket. Startled, he pulled it out of his pocket and flipped it open. "Hello?"

"Hitsugaya Taichou." Hitsugaya recognized Yamamoto's raspy voice right away.

"Yes, Captain General?"

"We have received reports that Espadas are headed toward Kakura Town. Alert Kurosaki Ichigo and the other shinigami with you. This is urgent. I will call you again when they are detected. They must be eliminated."

"Hai, Captain General." With that, he snapped his cell phone shut and ran off to find Ichigo.

He found him and Rukia laughing in a corner, and their faces immediately became grim as he told them the news.

"We'll go tell the rest of them," Rukia assured him.

With that solved, Hitsugaya made his way back to Hiromi, ready to deliver the news.

Her face became worried. "But we don't have any Soul Candy! We're still in gigais!" did I spell that right?-.-

A sickening pit formed in Hitsugaya's stomach Hiromi was right. Desperately, he patted his chest pocket, and then moved onto his blazer pockets. Nothing. He felt his pant pockets. A sinking feeling hovered over him… Then his hand touched a lump in his left pocket. Bewildered, he drew out a few capsules of Soul Candy.

"What? How'd it get in there?"

Hiromi's confused face told him that she had no idea either.

"Surprise!" gushed a giddy voice behind him.

It was Matsumoto. Hitsugaya looked her up and down behind her. Matsumoto was, like she always was, heading for sexy, unlike Hiromi, who displayed elegance from head to toe. She was wearing a scarlet strapless silk minidress that barely coved the label on her pink Victoria's Secret underwear.

"I packed it in secret into all of your clothes," she told Ichigo, Rukia, Hisagi, Hitsugaya, and Hiromi. By now they had all gathered around her. "I passed Urahara by the MAC counter in Sephora, and he recommended it."

"What's Urahara doing in Sephora?" Hiromi asked dubiously.

Matsumoto shrugged, lifting her dress up even more. Hitsugaya noticed, out the corner of his eye, that Hisagi was drooling and looking at her butt. Not that there was much to look at. Her minidress hardly covered her half of her perky little butt.

He snapped his fingers in Hisagi's glazed face. "Hey. Earth to Shuhei."

Startled, Hisagi hastily wiped his mouth on his Calvin Klein blazer and gave Hitsugaya a sheepish look. Hitsugaya rolled his eyes. Thank God that he didn't have such an airhead of a lieutenant who got lolled so easily by women. Then again, as Matsumoto was his lieutenant, he wasn't the one to talk, either.

Just then, his cell phone bleeped again. Ichigo, Rukia, Hisagi, Matsumoto, and Hiromi gathered even more in to hear the news. Inoue and Sado had joined their midst, and Rukia quickly gave them the news.

"Hello?" Hitsugaya flipped open his cell phone.

"They're here." Then the line went dead just as there was a loud explosion overhead. The roof was blasted off.

Standing in the air above them were three Espadas.


	10. Battle

The three espadas surveyed the scene with smirks plastered across their cruel faces. For a moment, the students of Kakura High School gazed up at the strange spectacle in a medley awe and surprise. Then the first scream erupted from a girl dressed in a rippling flow dress.

Though they couldn't see the espadas standing in the air above them, the student were thrown into chaos, once triggered by the scream.

Hitsugaya and his comrades popped the soul candy into their mouths, and within a matter of moments, the shinigami burst from their gigais. Hand wrapped upon Hyourinmaru's hilt Hitsugaya prepared himself for battle.

But as he heard the metal making its familiar _sshhhhhk_ sound as it unsheathed, a thought came to him. _Hiromi's not strong enough_, he realized._ I'm up for the battle, but she isn't. She's not powerful enough. She could get hurt, or… or… killed!_

The thoughts pounded in his head. Making up his mind, Hitsugaya grabbed Hiromi's thin wrist and slipped Kasumi no Shoushitsu back in its sheath for her.

"Wha-?" Hiromi protested, but with one hand till laced around Hyourinmaru and with the other grasping Hiromi's hand through the closely-knit crowd, Hitsugaya flashed-stepped. He dashed all the way across the gym… out the doors… Then he screeched to a stop at the lawn. He gazed at the bobbing, glowing lanterns strung merrily across the trees and felt a pang of sadness. Today was supposed to be the best day of his life… and…

"Where are we going?" Hiromi demanded.

Hitsugaya wondered where he could go. No… not Ichigo's house… or Inoue's or Sado's… But… He could go to Kisuke's place! The former captain would keep Hiromi safe! Yes!

"I said, where are we going?" Hiromi demanded again persistently.

"Somewhere safe," Hitsugaya replied absentmindedly.

"But I can fight!"

"You are strong, but not strong enough. Now, we have to go to Ki-''

A loud thump in front of them interrupted Hitsugaya's words. He glanced up and his face fell. Standing in front of them was Tia Harribel, flashing the number three tattooed onto her skin.

"Going somewhere?" she drawled in an annoyingly casual voice.

Hitsugaya gritted his teeth. He was too late. He unsheathed Hyourinmaru at arms length, pointing it at Harribel.

"Get out of our way." He struggled to keep his voice controlled. "Get out of our way, or I will kill you."

"My, my little captain. Harribel cocked her head, and Hitsugaya imagined a smug smile painted across her lips underneath her mask. "You say it like it's something easy and simple to do." Then her imaged flashed and disappeared.

Hitsugaya tensed. Sonido! His grip upon Hiromi's now slightly sweaty wrist slackened as he released Hyourinmaru, watching pillars of ice rain down upon them. He felt Hiromi wriggled out of his hands, heard her zanpakutou's metallic screech as it was unsheathed, and her loud, clear and commanding voice as she vanished.

He saw Tia Harribel up in the air, standing between two ice pillars, fending Hiromi's attacks rather easily. Then the two pillars suddenly gave way, Hitsugaya suspected, with Hiromi's hacks.

He hurtled up from the ground, feeling the chain of his zanpakutou whistled as it shot through the air and latched upon Harribel's leg, which immediately froze.

"Stupid boy," she muttered, then flexed her leg twice. The ice broke, shards raining down on the suburbs below.

Hitsugaya hacked at her head as she did so, but she merely held up her arm, letting the thick white armor that covered it take the damage. However, there was now a chip in it from the ferocity of the attack. Harribel gazed at it with interest as she held up her other arm and blocked invisible attacks from Hiromi.

They fought with no goal in mind for the next half hour. Hiromi appeared then disappeared again, being careful not to stay in the other dimension for too long.

"This is boring," noted Harribel after awhile. "I suspect I can't beat you two in this form, so I'll just release, kill you two, and be done with it."

"Hiromi, away!" Hitsugaya cried as blue light enveloped Harribel's body. He felt her grab at his chest and he pulled her into a protective hug.

The light faded, and Hitsugaya observed Harribel's release form with a grim face. Her hair whipped majestically around her ankles, and her features resembled that of a cat's. She dove at them, and he parried.

"Guess I'll go all out too, huh?" Hitsugaya let go of Hiromi. "Bankai!" He felt the icy wings sprout behind him, the dragon' long roar, the whipping tail, icy wind… "Daiguren Hyourinmaru."

Hitsugaya and Harribel charged at each other, while Hiromi closed in from behind. A gash appeared on Harribel's leg, and she made a swipe at Hitsugaya. Pain erupted in one shoulder, and he was momentarily stopped as the pain seared throughout his entire arm. And then he saw the tip of Harribel's sword shoot through the air towards him, knew this was the end. He prayed silently that all his comrades, especially Hiromi, would be safe, and he apologized silently for dying so easily, his head bowed in shame.

He closed his eyes, waiting for the pain, but it never came. A gust of sudden, sharp wind bit through the air toward him, and he felt the swish of fabric at his feet. A sharp cry pierced the night, and there was a loud _thk_. Something wet was dripping down his robes, and a figure slumped lifelessly at his feet. The sword had impaled something.

His eyes glassy with horror, Hitsugaya slowly gazed down at his feet. Hiromi's bleeding form was lying before him.


	11. Death

"Hi… Hiromi?" His hand trembled as he slumped forward to cradle her motionless form. He rested her head gently against his arms and her body on his lap.

Amid the darkness, he saw her Mona Lisa smile. "Yes. Who else?" she asked weakly, the rare rebellious attitude she emitted slowly blooming.

"Why?" His voice shook. "Why did you do it? Why?"

"Because…" She looked down. "Because I love you."

Her answer was so simple, so pure, that Hitsugaya felt his heart break into tiny little shards, piercing him from the inside. He remembered how he had thought of love as a petty thing, a distraction from his loyal work to protect. And yet… This girl had broken through the icy barrier he had set about himself. From the moment she smiled at him from what seemed like so long ago, she had won him over. He just didn't accept it until recently.

He felt the tears drip down his cheeks, felt them emerge. He broke into loud, hacking sobs as her reiatsu grew weaker and weaker. The only girl that had managed to win him over was dying.

"I love you too," he wept.

A weak smile formed upon her face. "I know, Toshirou, I know."

Her entire body was now appearing and disappearing like a bad connection. Weak, she slowly lifted herself up to him. Hitsugaya felt her icy yet feverish lips brush momentarily against his own… Then she dissolved into a shower of golden light.

"No." Hitsugaya shook his head. "No!" His head was now whizzing more rapidly. "NOOOOOOO!"

He embraced the air, hugging nothingness, as if trying to bring her back from oblivion. It was no use.

Harribel observed the scene with interest.

Hitsugaya's gaze turned upon her. Rage coursed through his body.

"You," he snarled. "YOU! YOU'RE THE REASON FOR ALL OF THIS!"

Then he tore through the air at her, swung Hyourinmaru… and cleaved through her neck. Her head pounded onto the floor. Hitsugaya tore at her motionless, headless body, disemboweling it, unable to gain satisfaction.

"T-Taichou?" Matsumoto was standing before him. "Is… is she gone?"

Hitsugaya nodded curtly, and then promptly began to bawl.

He felt Matsumoto's arms around him. "I'm sorry," she whispered in a soothing voice. "It's alright, let's go back now."

She let go, sauntered over and picked something up from the ground, then returned to him.

"Here." She thrust something into his hands.

A cherry blossom and corsage sat in his open palms.


	12. Author's Note

Okayyyyy! Thanks to the hopefully faithful readers reading this story, but as you can see, it's overrr

yah.

But guess what?

Imma write a sequel :D

So then you can see if Hiromi's really dead or not.

Yah.

Kay~!


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